The invention relates to methods, apparatus and systems involving reusable mailers.
Single mail pieces, such are envelopes, carriers, packages, forms and other items, are sometimes designed for multiple uses. For example, such mail pieces, sometimes referred to as “reusable”, “two-way” and “re-mailable” mailers, are often designed for an outbound delivery and a return mailing.
A common challenge in the design and use reusable mailers is the location of mailing information, such as sender and recipient address information, postage and other mail data. Because the reusable mailer will typically have different mailing information for the initial and subsequent mailings, the inclusion or location of such information on the reusable mailer may cause mistakes in the postal processing of the mailer during the initial and/or subsequent mailing(s).
Another issue that may be important in the design and formatting of reusable mailers is cost. As billions of mail pieces are used every year and comprise a multi-billion dollar industry, usefulness of a particular feature, design or capability is driven by manufacturing costs. Reducing such costs, even by one cent per mailer, may be critical in the usefulness of a feature, design or capability of any particular mailer.
An example problem that may occur during the re-mail postal processing of a reusable mailer is the undesirable reading of postal marking made to the mailer during its initial mailing. Some examples of such postal markings are outbound postnet barcodes or ID markings, corrective spray address information and fluorescent code or ID markings, which may be applied to the mailer during it initial, or outbound, postal processing. The reading of one or more such marking, such as by automated postal equipment, during the subsequent or re-mailing thereof may negatively affect the processing of the mailer. For example, “loop mail” occurs when addressing or postal information (e.g. postage markings, addressing information, postnet markings and fluorescent ID tags) utilized during the initial mail processing of the mailer is mistakenly read or processed during the re-mailing thereof and may result in redirecting of the mailer back to the original addressee or making the mailer undeliverable.
Another example potential problem that may occur is the misreading, during the initial mailing, of mailing information included on the mailer for use during the re-mailing thereof. For example, it is often desirable to pre-print return postal graphics, such as FIM bars and postal indicia, on the mailer. However, if any of these items are read during the processing of the initial mailing of the mailer, the mailer may be redirected or made undeliverable.
It should be understood that the above-described examples, features and/or disadvantages are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope or subject matter of the claims of this patent application or any patent or patent application claiming priority hereto. Thus, none of the appended claims or claims of any related application or patent should be limited by the above discussion or construed to address, include or exclude the cited examples, features and/or disadvantages, except and only to the extent as may be expressly stated in a particular claim.
Accordingly, there exists a need for apparatus and methods useful with reusable mailers having one or more of the following attributes, capabilities or features: prevents the undesirable location or positioning during re-mailing thereof of initial mailing postal processing information located on the mailer; prevents the reading, during re-mailing, of at least one postal marking that may be made to the mailer during processing of the initial mailing thereof; includes an initial seal flap at the bottom of the mailer useful for removing initial mailing information (initial mailing addresses, postage or a combination thereof) and/or postal markings made during postal processing during the initial mailing from the mailer and before the re-mailing thereof; includes a re-seal flap that conceals and/or repositions postal markings made to the mailer during the initial mailing thereof; is re-sealable in a way that ensures postal marking made during the initial mailing thereof will not affect the re-mailing thereof; facilitates automation mail processing of the mailing during re-mailing; eliminates loop mail; including return postal graphics printed on the mailer but positioned outside the initial mailing postal processing scan zone; includes pre-printed FIM bars for re-mailing but which do not interfere with initial mailing of the mailer; is cost effective; is easy to manufacture; is easy to assemble and use; or any combination thereof.